RN Pilot/Observer – The toughest choice you’ll ever make!

[Cyclic Climb]

I’ve just seen the latest RN recruiting TV Ad. Arguably, having seen the other two services’ recent attempts at enlisting, I believe the Navy’s tack is somewhat of a lacklustre affair.
Anyway, consistent with all aircrew that have shared a cockpit since Leonardo started to draw random stuff on parchment, what appears to be good chitchat between two of the FAA’s finest is obviously justification for the commencement of a drunken willy-waving (struggling with the equivalent mixed crew pseudonym at this time) contest concerning who is actually the best aviator.
The RN, in true tradition, are discussing their relative intrinsic worth in a bar (of course) and it looks as if the Zero (O) is getting the upper hand with his ‘I do everything , you just fly-stick monkey’ banter. Nice one-‘don’t forget no stick, no vote’; the rhetoric continues!
Ladies and Gentlemen, I’m sure this debate will ensue with some great tongue-in-cheek comments for a long to come.

Fear God Honour The King. ‘No Zero?-No Need’

PS. Is that what Pingers do all day?

[Tourist]

Yes.

Jealous much?

[Wader2]

First post. What point? What debate?

[Cyclic Climb]

Tourist,

I obviously got side tracked in the selection process. G&T on a CVS vs Living in a ditch. Can I assume as your name suggests, you probably got it right?

[Tourist]

God no!

You wouldn't get me working as hard as a Pinger!
All that bats and tw@ts stuff!:=

Very ungentlemanly.

[stabout]

Whoever said?
“When I grow up I want to be the person that sits next to the Pilot” ???

All the Observers I ever met actually wanted to be a Pilot. They just got conned at the AIB being told that they scored very well at being and Observer so that’s what they should do, or that you can transfer to being a Pilot later.
No Stick, no vote.

[Clear Right,Px Good!]

Just an observation,

Is being an Observer not, somewhat Voyeuristic?

[bad livin']

In addition to the above, most of the Os you'll meet have made it through what is an horrendously challenging course. BOC chop rates are extremely high (or were recently) and indeed of my chums, 11 of 13 on one BOC course fell by the wayside and another one of those had a few recourses before going frontline on Mk8. I've heard many people say it's perhaps the most challenging training available to a junior officer just about anywhere - indeed comparisons in difficulty to Perisher have been made.

[Tourist]

I have always heard its the other way with Perisher.

It's the only bit of fishead training that actually comes close to standard aircrew training pressure.

Must concur about BOC though, but just because its challenging doesn't make it fun.

[bad livin']

Tourist - fair one, but aircrew don't generally have a nuclear reactor/several dozen multiple kiloton warheads down the back and only the ability to say for certainty where they are not, rather than where they are.

I don't envy either O or potential boat CO!

[Wannabe1974]

"I have always heard its the other way with Perisher. It's the only bit of fishead training that actually comes close to standard aircrew training pressure."

Really?? I don't think it's really that simple. Would you say that FNO or Spec N course is easier? Perisher is widely acknowledged as the hardest naval course in the world. I think it more than "comes close" as you put it. Witness the recent attempt of one (nameless) ex-frontline O on X Course (a course that my spaniel could pass). Snot, tears, left mob.

I don't want to get into a pointless debate over this - but its probably worth remembering that most RN Officers have a tough job which generally requires tough training. To be fair to fisheads - aviators rarely see the one-armed paper hanging routine on the Bridge as you are usually creating it by being airborne.

Alright, not pussers.

[vecvechookattack]

I never wanted to be a pilot........I joined with the sole aim of being the Observer in a FG 1. Sadly I joined the RN about 6 months too late. Having served with many Observers and lots of Pilots I can safely assure Mr Cyclic that the Obs / P banter is purely for the crewroom. Once airborne (and also once ashore) the crew are a team and regardless of who is the Aircraft commander, the team works ( I should get paid for this).




Alright, not pussers ...... and Ginger Beers

[hotshots!]

Forgive my naivety, but why want anyone want to join the Navy to fly anyway?

Who wants to spend years of training, to then be sent to fly a helicopter, off the back of a boat, in the middle of the ocean for months on end? :ugh:

[mustflywillfly]

"off the back of a boat"

We flying helos off subs now???

[anotherthing]

Forgive my naivety, but why want anyone want to join the Navy to fly anyway?

Who wants to spend years of training, to then be sent to fly a helicopter, off the back of a boat, in the middle of the ocean for months on end? :ugh:


Beacause it's more challenging, by far, than flying from an airfield that does not move position whilst you are on your sortie/ that has no siginificant landmarks that can lead you back to the landing strip/ that is affected more by weather? To name but a few reasons.

Apart from the possibility of flying fast, why join the RAF to fly when you can be just as bored flying to a static airfield as a civvy - and get paid 3 times as much? :E

[mbga9pgf]

To be honest, having spoken to a fishhead recently about their onshore shennanigans whilst away, I am actually quite jealous!

If you were a singly, I could imagine it is quite a fantastic life, sandy S**ty dets indespersed with trips to the far east, Australia the states, not for one or two nights, but for months! Sounds pretty good to me... And thats from a crab!

[airborne_artist]

mbga9pgf - best kept secret going, but that's the problem - the RN doesn't have the profile amongst the 14-20 y/o group, >90% think all mil aviation = RAF

[vecvechookattack]

mbga9pgf - best kept secret going, but that's the problem - the RN doesn't have the profile amongst the 14-20 y/o group, >90% think all mil aviation = RAF

Good. lets keep it that way.

[airborne_artist]

vvca - so much so that some recent aircrew entries to BRNC have been limited by the number of takers, not places.

[Cyclic Climb]

vecvechookattack

Having served with many Observers and lots of Pilots I can safely assure Mr Cyclic that the Obs / P banter is purely for the crewroom.

- The thread is intended to be tongue-in-check and I totally understand the professional airborne relationship. Got any crewroom 'stick monkey' banter?

[jayteeto]

I watch telly and the 'Love Boat' was not a submarine. Get over it.....
Mind you, they had plenty of torpedos on board...

[Doors Off]

Though never navy, blue is a nice colour but not in 360 degrees, my understanding was that the 'O' in the centre of the Observers wings was their last score on pilots course?:E

[Cyclic Climb]

Doors Off
Believe the clipped Wings you talk of are known as Squashed Moths. Any takers? No pun intended!!!

[bad livin']

Confirm Squashed Moths.

[Doors Off]

Confirm squashed moths. Real wings have flat tops!:}

[Cyclic Climb]

Affirm.
As in - on presentation of award, the Wings in question fluttered around, landed on the Zero's left arm and was then subsequently smacked by the new owner leaving......a Squashed Moth.

[Doors Off]

How do you know if you are a pirate? You don't you just RRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

[Des O'Late]

On my steamer the fishheads named me the Stick Monkey, the looker was the Button Monkey. Oh how we laughed.

[Radar Command T/O]

No-one here has yet mentioned the one indisputable reason why it is far better to be an Observer than a Pilot....



No ground runs.

[vecvechookattack]

Whats a ground run?

[ProfessionalStudent]

I'd rather be a pilot doing a ground run than an observer...:ok:

[Radar Command T/O]

I'll quote you on that the next time I watch some poor sap walking the length of dispersal in the pouring rain to do a leak check! :ok:

[vecvechookattack]

I've heard rumours of a Pilot who is currently on an Observers course (due to shortage of Observers)....any ideas on how he is doing?

[Radar Command T/O]

Haven't heard that one, I'm afraid. Given the state of manning at the moment I somehow doubt it though - both branches are pretty desperate to hang on to what they do have.

I am willing to stand corrected however, if anyone has information to the contrary.

[Edited for poor punctuation]

[Tourist]

It's true.
Lynx pilot FTC(A) Lt Cdr 5000hrs+
How barking is that?!
I'd just fail it..

[Radar Command T/O]

Unbelievable!

In a branch that is already overborne with Lt Cdrs, we are now importing them from other branches.

[Wappy Tupper]

The thing I can't understand is why anybody would join the Navy when there is far better and varied flying in the RAF.

I mean, landing on a boat can't be that challenging can it?

[ATSAWHO]

How typical to see members of the RUM, BUM AND BACCY SERVICE* gouging each other's eyes out. (*which one's your favourite???)

[Radar Command T/O]

I wouldn't know - I've never landed on a submarine, but I imagine it would be pretty difficult at depth.

[Wappy Tupper]

My apologies, thought those anachronisms had gone out along with sodomy and the lash.



Must be mistaken.

[oojamaflip]

Wappy - you really need to bait your hook a bit better. Must try harder.

[Imhotep]

I was an Observer but I've had my lobot... lobo..., brian operation and I is a pilot now, I think :confused:

[circle kay]

I’ve just seen the RN recruitment advert with the pilot and observer bantering, (don’t get to watch too much TV at the moment). Where was the aircrewman? At the bar getting the drinks in? Or more likely back on the ‘love boat’ painting or cleaning something. ‘The Team Works’ has been dropped I note.:)

[timex]

TBH, would you really want to go ashore with those two...........:ok:

[ATSAWHO]

AAAAAHHHH!

THAT's what I like...the fishheads have stopped bragging...

:D